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Friday, 10 July 2009

Birthday Post 5 by Gregory Jensen and Lucy Philip

What I Read
by Gregory Jensen

I grew up without a TV so I had no choice but to read.

I was still reading early readers at 7. When I wanted my mum to read me Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and she said I was too young for it, I took it and read it by myself. Although I was frightened by the ghosts and snakes, I finished it. Once I’d read that first book, things snowballed and (oh, hang on, Disney moment coming up) I discovered ‘a world of magic’.

Soon I was reading so many books so fast, my mum thought it was time I visited a library. My favourite authors are Anthony Horowitz (no. 1), Cathy Cassidy (because her books are such real life), Robert Muchamore (I’ve read the Cherub series three times), Steve Voake (awesome, just awesome), Alan Gibbons (tense), Malorie Blackman (The Stuff of Nightmares was especially brilliant) and Eoin Colfer, who is hilarious.

Oh and I do read Marie-Louise Jensen, but only because she’s my mum, so don’t tell anyone.

Greg is 15 and lives in Bath with his family and a lot of books.

My Books
by Lucy Philip

I love to read and I get ideas from my books to write my own stories on the computer.

My favourite books are Magic Kitten, Magic Puppy, Magic Pony and Animal Ark, because they have animals and magic in them. I also like excitement and adventure, like the Famous Five. I always know there’s going to be a happy ending when I read my book. But my favourite author is Michael Morpurgo. I read his book The Butterfly Lion and I felt excited and sad but I loved the characters, especially Bertie. It was hard reading one chapter a night because I wanted to read it all at once. Next I’d like to read The Dancing Bear, and I’d love to see War Horse in the theatre.

I don’t want to ever read just one kind of book. It’s fun to read different kinds of stories. And when I grow up I want to be an author. When I’m writing my books, I’ll write about animals and magic too.
Maybe I’ll write Magic Rabbit or Magic Otter.

This is a comment for Greg. Good for you for reading your mum's books. When my son, Jack, was a teenager he never read my books. He said they were too boring. I eventually got him to read LOOKING FOR JJ and his only resonse was, Oh yeah. I see what you're trying to do! I have two nieces who are keen to read my books but they're too young just yet.

Greg--excellent choices, but I think you've missed a trick with your mum (!). I pay my teenagers (in books of their choice) to critique my books at every stage and make suggestions. This has to be done properly with no 'Oh Mum, it's brilliant' type of comments (as if). Just a thought...now ML will possibly hate me!

Lucy--I WANT to read the Magic Otter. Not nearly enough otter books around in my opinion. And I agree with the Stroppy Author. Rebel. Read as many chapters as you want per night--unless you like that suspense of waiting to know the end. I know I don't but you may be different. :-)

Drat! I have been outed as a despotic mother. All right, I dare not argue with Lucy C and the Stroppy Author - I give in. Lucy P - you may read more than one chapter. But you have to start before 9pm, young lady!